All the union news that's fit to blog...
Further Education support staff took a step closer today (5 November 2015) to industrial action across all Scottish Colleges (except Orkney and Shetland). UNISON Further Education members are being balloted on a 2015 pay rise, which was due on 1 April 2015.
Chris Greenshields
UNISON Scotland, the main union for the Sector, is recommending rejection of the employers 1% final offer. UNISON, inRead more…
Despite the weather that disrupted travel into London this morning, UNISON Scotland was well represented at today’s lobby of Westminster against the Trade Union Bill.Trade Union Bill is a ferocious attack on almost every aspect of trade unionism. It shifts the balance of power in workplaces further to the advantage of employers and away from workers, whether they are in a union or not. It isRead more…
The Autumn Scottish political party conference season ends with the Scottish Labour Party in Perth.The format for UNISON is different from other party conferences because through UNISON Labour Link we are an affiliated organisation and therefore have a delegation as well as the usual stall and fringe meetings. We can and do put motions on the agenda and participate in debates. The job of UNISONRead more…
Date: Saturday 31 October 2015
UNISON Scotland has pledged full support for a resolution at the Scottish Labour conference today (Saturday 31 October) which demands a halt to the continued closures of local Control Room / Service Centres across Scotland. The resolution, tabled by Aberdeen Central Labour Party at the conference in Perth, highlights the ongoing crisis in Police Scotland’s ControlRead more…
Trade Unions including UNISON, community groups and anti-cuts organisations are gearing up for twin demonstrations in Edinburgh and Glasgow on October 29 against another ‘savage’ round of council cuts.
The Edinburgh lobby will be from 08.45 to 09.45 on Thursday 29 October at the City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh.
The Glasgow lobby will be from 12 noon on Thursday 29th October at the CityRead more…
Date: Wednesday 28 October 2015
UNISON has reached a multi million pound settlement with Fife Council for over 1400, mainly low paid women UNISON members, for their equal pay claims.
UNISON members will now be properly recompensed for historic discriminatory pay practices within Fife Council. It is a deal worth £millions and will include compensation for members back pay in some cases toRead more…
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis has spoken out to support the global call for urgent action on climate change this November and December.
He said UNISON members will be joining in marches and rallies across the UK, organised by Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and the Climate Coalition Movement, and in Paris, all timed to coincide with international demonstrations.Read more…
Friday 23 October 2015
UNISON media release, with Human Rights Consortium Scotland (HRCS)
The Westminster Government faces a series of awkward human rights questions following action by the United Nations. The UN has directed the Government to address a ‘list of issues’ ranging from welfare cuts and reliance on food banks to blacklisting and the erosion of trade union rights.
Members of theRead more…
Friday 23 October 2015
UNISON Scotland is publishing today Violence at Work: A Survey of UNISON employers and Staff in Scotland 2015. It shows an increase of 1,227 assaults compared with 2014.
The total recorded assaults on public sector workers in Scotland in 2015 was 38,279. This compares to 20,000 in 2006.
UNISON report included a survey, to ask what staff had suffered, how they had feltRead more…
Thursday 22 October 2015
John Young, UNISON North Lanarkshire Council steward said,
“This is devastating for everyone living in North Lanarkshire and once again it is the low paid and vulnerable, including children, elderly and disabled people who will be the worst affected. North Lanarkshire Council are proposing to cut 10% of the workforce which will cause chaos in our vital public services;Read more…
Thursday 22 October 2015
UNISON Labour Link Media Release – Launch of Commission on Health Inequalities report will take place at 22 October, 9.00am UNISON Scotland, 14 West Campbell St., Glasgow
The report of the Commission on Health Inequalities for the Scottish Labour Party calls for national leadership and community hubs to tackle health inequalities.The Commission for Health InequalitiesRead more…
UNISON Scotland was at the SNP conference in Aberdeen this weekend, making the case for public services, fair pay and promoting the campaign against the Trade Union Bill.There was an excellent turnout at our fringe meeting on fair work and poverty, held with our campaign partners CPAG Scotland and the Poverty Alliance. Hannah Bardell MP covered the impact of the Tories welfare cuts and taxRead more…
Stephen Smellie reports on the issues behind the Turkish peace rally murders: The trade union confederations in Turkey, KESK and DISK, along with the Engineers and Architects Association and the Medical Association organised the demonstration and rally in Ankara on Saturday which was attacked by two bomb blasts which have resulted in the death of over 100 people with many hundreds more beingRead more…
October is a busy month for political party conferences, starting this weekend in Glasgow with the Scottish Green Party. UNISON Scotland was there explaining the impact of austerity on public service workers and the services they deliver.UNISON Scotland’s new paper ‘Combating Austerity’ was popular with Scottish Green councillors struggling with the impact of austerity budgets. We partnered withRead more…
Holyrood and councils can combat austerity; Show your colours for Climate, Justice and Jobs; Fight ‘draconian’ anti union bill; Refugees welcome here international special; Council staff accept pay deal; Edinburgh beats privatisation; Fire and Rescue ballot; Gas job losses; End police cuts; Libraries need more than fine words and much more in this issue. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/Read more…
*Stop
Press: Members interested in booking a subsidised place on a bus to Paris for
12 Dec demonstration should seek nomination through their branch. See below for
details.
It’s time next month to join the global
movement marching for a better future, demanding strong
action from world leaders at the United Nations climate talks in December.
UNISON members are invited to a
GreenRead more…
Date: Tuesday 6 October 2015
Dave Watson, head of UNISON Scotland bargaining and campaigns, said: “UNISON is deeply disappointed that the contract for Scotland’s public sector water and wastewater services is to be awarded to a privatised utility. In fairness, the Scottish Government had few options because the system of retail water competition is the ultimate in market madness. £350m willRead more…
Some photos of Scotland branches at the huge Manchester demo against austerity and the TU Bill on 4 October are now online. at https://picasaweb.google.com/117247006402711752943/ManchesterOctober42015?noredirect=1 More to follow.Read more…
As we gear up to the Manchester Rally, UNISON Scotland has welcomed the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) announcement on 28 September: “Scotland’s Councils have come out in force today to stand shoulder to shoulder with their trade union colleagues against the UK Government’s Trade Union Bill.” Earlier Glasgow, Edinburgh and Renfrewshire councils voted not to co-operate withRead more…
The release today (2 October) of the long awaited Staff Survey is a golden opportunity for the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to genuinely engage with police support staff and for both organisations to genuinely commit to responding and acting on the findings of this staff survey.
The findings of the survey are not a surprise to UNISON and the UNISON members who work in theRead more…